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Can someone please diagram the following sentence:

As the invention that brought deep well water to the surface, the windmill was used on the prairie.

This sentence is from English Grammar 101. They say that "As the...surface" is a dependent adverb clause and the rest is the independent clause. But I see "As the invention" (a prepositional phrase) being modified by "that brought...surface" (a relative pronoun that introduces a dependent adjectival clause). In other words "that...surface" is modifying "invention". Who is correct?

Re: Can someone please diagram the following sentence:

Originally Posted by Tdol

But isn't the whole clause describing the windmill?

Yes, but I want to know how the dependent clause is broken down. I don't see the verb. I know that the independent clause is diagrammed like this: Unfortunately, I can't get my diagram to copy to this page.

The (Adj modifying windmill) windmill (subject-noun) was used (verb phrase) on the prairie (adverb prepositional phrase modifying verb). How would you breakdown "As the invention that brought deep well water to the surface".

*****
As = I think that you could find a million definitions for "as" here. Some would call it a preposition; others would label it an expletive. One thing for sure: it is not a conjunction, for -- as you said -- there is no verb.
the = adjective.
invention = noun.
that brought deep well water to the surface = As you said, those words are an adjective/ relative clause modifying the noun "invention." (It answers the question: what invention?)

*****

Now for the $64, 000 question (that was a lot of money when I was young!): What is the role of "As the invention ... water to the surface"?

1. Your book says that it is a dependent adverb clause. I do not understand what that means, and -- of course -- I

would never dare disagree with what a book says.

2. I think that Tdol put his finger on it when he suggested that the whole clause refers to the windmill.

*****

Now here is exciting news: Let's temporarily erase "that brought well water to the surface."

We get:

As an invention, the windmill was used on the prairie.

I think (repeat: think) that most books would say "As an invention" is an appositive that modifies the whole sentence "the windmill was used on the prairie.")

Here is a similar sentence from the great grammarian George Oliver Curme:

As a first step, I secured my vast property, so that the income would be certain.

Professor Curme explains that such an explantory remark belongs to (modifies) the whole sentence.

Now I suggest that maybe we can say "As an invention (that brought well water to the surface)" is an appositive

(explanatory remark) that belongs to the whole sentence "The windmill was used on the prairie."

*****

If we erase the "as," "everyone" would agree that it is an appositive in:

The windmill, the invention that brought deep well water to the surface, was used on the prairie.

But for the sake of style, perhaps it is more elegant to put it at the beginnning of the sentence and introduce it with

"as."

P.S. Maybe your book uses the word "adverb" because when we add the word "as," the clause takes on an adverbial sense in that it tells us why the windmill was used on the prairie.

Last edited by TheParser; 07-Jun-2012 at 14:51.
Reason: just thought of this

Re: Can someone please diagram the following sentence:

Hi Parser,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, your answer makes a lot of sense. I didn't get the sentence from a book; it was from a free grammar website. If you wouldn't mind taking a quick look at the website and tell me what you think? The website is Englishgrammar101.com. Click on Free Online Grammar Lessons---Module 2: Clause Patterns---
Lesson 2-26: The Adverbial Clause---Question 8. Thanks again.

Re: Can someone please diagram the following sentence:

I have been lax. I am sorry. I am quite certain that I can diagram this, but I have been teaching a course online (which I have finished) and made a marathon tour of Europe (from which I have returned). Gradually I will begin to settle back into what was once normal, and considering the syntax of such sentences is not only normal but fun.